Letters



(No Model.) 4 Sheetssheet 1. A. HUTTENBACH.

MEANS FOR FILING LETTERS.

No. 553,67813 F n flgtented Jan. 28, 1896.

(No Model.) l

A. HUTTENBACH. MEANS EUR FILING LETTERS.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

No. 553,678. Patented Jan. 28,v 1896.

[if u nu! V (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. A HUTTENBAOH MEANS FOR FILING LETTERS.

No. 553,678. Patented Jan. 28, 1896.

elw@ ehm@ Am t e e vLH.. S Q .Tu e e h S 4 QM .m HT om AL BG Nm EL I WF .TJR .TILO HF .m AA E M m. d 0 M. 0 m

Pmeted Jan. 28, 1898.

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Zzzwa.' Ga/ 955.58m/ ww UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLF IIU'FTENBACH, OF',FRANKFORT-QN-THE-MAIN, GERMANY.

lvl EANsFoR FILING LETTERS.

sPEcIFIeATroNforming'partef Letters Patent No. 553,678, dated January 2s, 1896. Application filed August 14,1893. serai 1a. 483,070. ma modem' Patented in 'eemn'y umher 17,1892, no. 69,801; in

- Switzerland October 17, 189

2,119.6,003 in England OetoberlQ, 1892, No. 18,737; in France October 21, 1892, No. 225,085

l jin Belgium oqtqlperze, 1892,11@ 101,908, and in nalyngember 5, i892, XXVII, 32,941 and 84,433.

all who-f1?, it may concern: v, Be it known that I, ADOLFI'IUTTENBACH,

merchant, arf-subject of the Emperor of Germany', fand a"resdent of i liiankforton-the- "lllaimGermany, have invented new and use-1 '.lful Improvements` in Means for Filing Letters, Sample Sheets, &c. (for which I have obtained Letters Patent in Germany, No. 69,801,

' dated October 17, 1892; in France,No. 225,085,

dated October 21, 1892; in Great Britain, No. 18,737, dated October 19, 1892; in Belgium, No. 101,908, dated October 26, 1892; in Switzerland, No. 6,003, dated October 17, 1892, and in Italy, XXVII, 32,9-i1-and 64,433, dated November' 5, 1892,) of which the following is a specification.

M y invention relates to a iilc for salnple sheets, loose papers, fabrics, and the like.

'The advantages possessed by my improved tile, as compared with the devices heretofore employed for similar purposes, consist in that this Iile enables the removal of single sheets to be eiiected from any part of the same without iirst taking oit the sheet-s lying above those to be renloved, and in that in the use of the file the sheets arranged therein are not injured in anyway. B y reason of these properties my improved ile is particularly adapted for travelers samples, as in such cases it is necessary to relnove from the collection quickly any samples which a customer nlay wish to inspect and to insert them in their proper place again after use. A

r1`he nature of lnly said invention will be best understood when described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in wllicll- Figure 1 is an elevation of a iile constructed according to my i llvention, part beill g broken away. Fig. 2 is a sectional side view in plane m Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation of a modified form; Fig. 4, a section in the plane 1/ y,

Fig. 3. Fig-5 is an elevation of a modified form. Fig. 0 is a section inthe plane 5:5, Fig. 5. Figs. 7 to 14 and 'I7 to 2l are other modified forms; and Figs. l5, 1f.; and 22 to 24 show diiferent forms of slits or incisions il the sheets.

Similar letters l l ld icute eo rrespoudl-n g parts `throughout the several views of the drawlatter is recessed at F. From these recesses l i the cords are led into a longitudinal groove A formed parallel with and near the back edge of said cover. The cords B serve to compress the sheets in the file by drawing the two covers together. These cords are' at their free ends attached to sockets b' provided with pins I), which pins t into holes c distributed in the groove A. To the sockets are pivoted handles K, whichare used in tightening the cordsgB. up to sufficiently compress the sheets the pins b are insertedinto the nearest holes and the handles turned down, as shown. lVh'en a vsheet is to be removed from the file it is only necessary.to pull out thepins, thereby releasing the cords and loosening the file.

Instead of cords, chains B' may be used.

Such a construetionl have shown in Figs. 3

vand 4. The only difference is that the pins b instead of being attached to a socket are secured to or form part of the last link of the chain or are attached 'directly to the lever K.

In Figs. 11 to 1-1, inclusive, I have shown means for securing the chain without using handles and pins. The links of the chains B' are in this instance pivoted or connected to reach other some distance from their ends, so that when -two links are brought atA right angles to each other the end of one projects a little past the edge of the other. The top cover is provided near the ends of groove A with small rect-angular openings which just allow the cllain when straightened to pass therethrough. The iile is arranged as before and the chains pulled through the openings to compress the same. .Theehainsfa-re then turlled down into the groove and the last link passed th rough the ope-nin". Being turned at right angles to the olle just passing through prevents, by virtue of its pivoting, the chain lVhen the cords' have been drawn y c and retain the bar in the groove A.

from slipping back. In these forms the sheets of the file are provided with recesses for the cord or chain at the ends of the sheets only.

In the following forms the recesses are placed laterally close to the back edges of the sheets to enable sheets of diderent sizes to be placed in the file.

In Figs. 5 and G I have shown a file in which instead of cords or chains for holding and compressing the file stationary rods P are used. On these rods slides a flat bar L provided at its middle with a piece L', sliding on a rod 0 and'a-cted upon by a spring N. When using the file, the bar L is pressed back against the spring N, the sheet or sheets are inserted and the strip released, whereupon the spring compresses the file.

In Figs. and 8 I havev shown means for automatically opening the file when the compressing cords or chains are loosened. Two levers Q, pivoted to each other at their cen ters, have each one end pivoted tothe back of the covers C of the file, while the other end is provided with a stud fitting into slots g g, also located in the backs of the covers. To the free ends of the levers L is connected one end of the spiral springs r r, the other ends being secured to the back of the covers C". By the action of the spiral springs on the levers the covers of the Iile are pushed apart as soon as the compressing-cords are released. To facilitate the operation of the compressingcords they are attached by means of spiral springs to a bar A', which atene end is provided with a pin ada'pted to Yfit into the holes The back (Y of the file, which is attached to one cover and sliding through a slot in the other,

is provided with two slots R R, through which pass the compressing-cords B. The cords B are provided near Vtheir ends with heads B", which cannot pass through the holes in the cover and are pressed against the latter by the springs 7' r, so that the parts of the cords B B are drawn taut and the papers can bc conveniently` inserted.

To compensate for varying thicknesses in the pile of papers, an adjustable back C is used, which is secured to one cover and carried into the other through a suitable slot.

The free end can be secured in any desired place. -To the ends of the cords B B small spiral springs are attached 'for the purpose of retaining the cords taut in every instance.

In Figs. 0 and 10 I have shown the back C laid in folds that open readily'. The opening may be facilitated if small vsprings V arev placed on each side of the back.

In Figs. 17, 18, and 19 I have shown a file to which is` connected a portfolio consisting of two covers g g slitted like the sheets, which may be removed, together with part of the fastening device, when the file is filled. For this purpose, instead of forming the groove A in the cover, a plate c bent up to receive the bar c provided with holes d for securing the said bar is used. The free ends of the cords are united by a bar f. Between the two holes through which the compressing cords pass the plate is cut away and a pivoted piece c' is fitted, part of the holes passing through its ends. Ihen the iile is filled and the portfolio placed around the sheets, the piece c is swung back and bar f' passed through the opening. Then the other ends of the cords attached to the bar are disengaged from the back cover of the iile and the collected sheets, with the fasteningV part, willbe free from the file. The portfolio g g' is fixed in the file before the sheets are put in.- Itis perforated like the `file, and when rearwardly folded is removably attached by buttons 71, and the cords e. care passed through the same. After disengaging the cords e e the portfolio is put around the sheets and the ends of the cords are stretched in any suitable manner. The adjustable back C' used in this file consists of leather or other suitable material, which maybe laid in folds and adjusts itself to the varying thickness of the file. This back is held in place by the clamp k fastened to the covers-of the file. Instead of the pivoted piece c' any other arrangement which will let the bar 4A pass through may be used.

In Figs. 20 and 21 is shown another form of adjustable back consisting of small flat strips m of suitable material. These strips are at several point-s o1. bent out so as to allow the heads of the small bolts p sliding in the slots g to enter the same when the file is not filled.

Then the recesses for the compressingcords are located on the same side of the sheets it is necessary to have them of such form as to prevent the sheets from falling out when placed in the file. Such constructions I have shown in Figs. 15, 1G, 22, 23 and 2l,in which D designates the sheets, E its!V reinforced back, I1" F the recesses or slits for the cords; while in Figs. 22 to 24C F2 are tortuous passages leading to the recesses.

NVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A iile consisting of two covers, one of which is provided with opposed recesses or openings, a groove connecting said recesses or openings, and a series of holes in' said groove arranged at intervals apa-rt; bands se- IOO IIO

cured to one cover and passing through the recesses in the other cover, and pins at the outer ends of said bands adapted to be i11- serted into the holes in the groove for the purpose of securing said band, substantially as described.

2. A'ile consisting of -two covers C C, one of them provided with recesses F' at its ends, a groove A connecting said recesses, sheets D provided with corresponding recesses, cords, provided at their free ends with pins b, and handles K, said pins being adapted to be inserted into holes c in the groove, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a file of the character specified, the

combination of means for automatically spreading the covers', and bands attached to the covers and adapted to compress and hold the same tightly, substantialLv as described.

4. In a file of the character specified, the combination of crossed levers pivoted to the covers, springs operating on and spreading the levers and bands attached to the covers and adapted to compress and hold the same tightly against the action of the springs, substantially as described.

5. In a file of the character specified, the combination ot' means for compressing and securing the covers when compressed and means, substantially as described, i'or automatically spreading the covers when the means for compression are released, substantially as described.

6. In a file of the 'character specified, the combination of means for compressing and securing the covers when compressed and a spring arranged to spread open the back of the file on the release of the means for compression, substantially as described.

7. In a file of the character specified, the combination ot' the compressing bands, means for securing the sameand a spring device for opening the file on the release of the bands and for drawing the. bands taut, substantially as described.

8. In a file of the character specified, the combination 'of the covers C G provided with a back laid in folds, means for compressing and securing the covers when compressed and springs assisting the unfolding of the back when the means for compression are released, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. ADOLF HUTTENBACH.

lV i tnesses ALvEsTo S. IIoGUE, JEAN GRUND. 

